Feast of the Presentation of the Lord - February 2, 2021
2 FEBRUARY PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
A sermon by Saint Sophronius, Bishop
Let us receive the light whose brilliance is Eternal.
In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.
Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.
The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.
The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.
The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.
Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.
By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honor.
New Years - January 1, 2021
BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!!!
We are celebrating and welcoming another year into our lives. More than happiness and joy, the past year was a period of uncertainty, concern, fear, sickness, separation, and death; still it will be a historical year to remember for generations to come.
Roman mythology teaches the story of the god Janus from which the name for the first month, January, was derived. January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology. Janus is the god of gates, doorways, beginnings, and time. Most often he is depicted as having two heads, facing opposite directions; one head looks back at the last year while the other looks forward to the new, simultaneously into the future and the past.
It makes sense especially this year that if we can look to the past and learn to live the future the world will be a better place for everyone to enjoy. The past face of Janus reminds us not to repeat the faults of the past and to step forward in the virtues of humanity. Do not forget the past, neither sleep on the past, but transition our lives respecting the creation and Adoring the Creator.
Entering a new year with much expectation, planning and hope we can still live a life. 2020 taught us how to overcome the unexpected. May 2021 make us to live what can be expected. So, let us enter this new year with prayer and passion to live God given lives.
Wishing you all the Best of 2021.
The Annunciation - December 20, 2020
LAST WEEKEND OF ADVENT! EXPECTATION, EXCITEMENT, ANTICIPATION AND EAGERNESS TO WELCOME THE SAVIOR IN OUR LIVES.
Annunciation of long waited News, came in the form of Glad Tidings! the ultimate source of message was from God Almighty, The messenger was Archangel Gabriel and The receiver of the message was Mary who was prepared by the Message Manager long ago.
The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us. The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God, we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade to life. Your reply will bring divinity to humans because God the Divine is willing to come in Human form, if You Will! Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. The Angel appears, Gabriel, and Mary is rightly astonished. He does not call her Mary. He says, “Hail, Full of Grace.” Then the angel waits. The world waits. All are waiting for Mary’s response. The world waits in eager expectation. And Mary humbly responds, “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word.” And the Word Becomes Flesh! Divine becomes Human!
God became One of us within Mary at the Annunciation. We were given the Grace of God. In a way we also were overshadowed by the Holy Spirit so that we, like Mary, can fulfill the mission the Lord has for each of us. Our mission is to proclaim to the world that the spiritual has become physical, that God is One of Us and One with Us! Saying Yes to our Annunciation and living a life of “Let Thy Will Be Done”, we become, and the world become a place of God’s divinity full of Joy, Love and Peace. Darkness, fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness will be washed and exterminated. The world waits. It waits for our answer. Will we have the humility and the courage to join Mary and say, “Behold.”
